


You Crashed Into Me and I Fell Hard

by holdinglines



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/M, Meet-Cute, Nonbinary Character, Roommates, Slow Burn, Suicidal Thoughts, Superpowers, Trans Male Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:06:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21981862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holdinglines/pseuds/holdinglines
Summary: secret santa gift!
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	You Crashed Into Me and I Fell Hard

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kabraxas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kabraxas/gifts).



Thunder rumbled in the distance.

The Stoker’s had long since finished their dinner and were nearly done with the dishes by the time Jules had finished cleaning their gutters. Below them the youngest daughter, Mina, watched her as her ice cream cone dribbled down her hand.

“So why are you still here? It’s all dark out now.” she asked.

“Well, your dad called me about this a while ago, but I had work at the shop and was running late,” Jules said as they pulled out the final clump of wet leaves. “Can you open that trash bag for me?”

The little girl gave them a grin as she shook open the bag. Her nose wrinkled at the smell of moldy leaves but couldn’t stop herself from giggling as Jules lined up the shot.

“Kobe!” the ball of sludge made it into the bag, and both they and Mina let out a whoop. Mina watched fascinated, her ice cream forgotten in the grass, as Jules swung themselves off the roof and used their momentum to roll up to her.

“That was so cool!”

Jules puffed out their chest, ignoring their knees as they screamed at them, when Mr. Stoker stepped out. He gave them a severe look, and Jules immediately wilted under his gaze.

“Mina, go help John get ready for bed.”

She nodded and, with one final glance at Jules, raced back inside. Jules took a deep breath and wiped their hands on their jeans. Behind Mr. Stoker’s house, they saw lightning jump from cloud to cloud.

“So you’re finally done?”

“Yessir. I’ll take these out to your trash bins, and I’ll be on my way.” They didn't look at him.

He didn’t answer, busy inspecting his pool. Jules bit her lip and felt themselves shrink further. They were supposed to be here this morning to take care of the Stoker’s yard and pool, but had gotten suddenly busy at the auto shop. They’d called to let him know they’d be late, but since they couldn’t give him a definite time frame, he had to spend all afternoon waiting for them to show up to let them in.

Jules was a mechanic, the only one in Sanctum, but business had been so slow that they’d been forced to do a lot of menial labor just to make ends meet. And from the look on Mr. Stoker’s face, they were sure their agreed wages were about to plummet.

Even without the overcast sky, the sun had long set and there was no point in trying to inspect any further. While he berated them like a child, all Jules could do was tug at their hair and apologize once more. At first opportunity, they stole away through the side gate; they told them it was so they didn’t drag dirt into their home, but really it was to keep themselves from crying and having to have more awkward small talk.

Droplets of water started to fall as she approached her motorcycle, Eunice. They tugged their leather jacket tighter around themselves, and pulled out of the Stoker’s driveway.

Sanctum was a good thirty minute drive without traffic (which Jules rarely encountered) but with the evening starting on such a sour note they were in no hurry to make it home.

No one was waiting anyway.

Through some of the backroads took them through the forest. Jules had hoped the trees would help block some of the worst of the rain as it got harder and harder, but all it did was make it harder to see. Without even meaning to, Jules began to spiral; they replayed Mr. Stoker’s harsh words over and over in their head, the guilt of breaking their appointment gnawing at their insides as their grip tightened on Eunice’s handles. Suddenly Eunice felt much lighter underneath them, and they glanced at the speedometer. They were in the triple digits, and Jules could feel that they were hydro-planing. In the distance, but rapidly getting closer, were two red lights of the only other car possibly in miles ahead of them. Because of  _ course _ .

They tried to ease up without losing control, when suddenly there was someone in the middle of the road. They took a sharp turn and— 

_ Move. Move. Move. Hide. Get to the trees, don’t stay exposed, don’t be in the open. Trees. Get to the trees, you’re safe there. Avoid the roads. Avoid the houses. Don’t let them catch you. _

It’d been days since Aries had escaped though he wasn’t how many. During that time, he hadn’t seen the sun. Part of that was by design, most of it was the weather. Aries knew to avoid the water so the dogs couldn’t catch his scent, to not hide in the trees. If he went up and they caught him, he’d be trapped and they’d take him back.

He wouldn’t though. He was smarter than his brothers and sisters. He’d finally be free.

Aries crouched into the underbrush. A light in the house. He could feel the residents inside, even at this distance the pressure of their minds against his own.  _ Buzzing. Buzzing. Buzzing. Old man and wife. There’s a dog too. Too much noise, it’s a cowardly thing running all around, does it sense me too? _

He could kill them. He could do it if he wanted to. But that’d bring attention to his location he didn’t want. He could possess the dog, but there’s a danger to animals that he couldn’t risk. Aries took a deep breath, and crawled back into the woods, stood up and sprinted off.

Aries cursed under his breath as the rain came down harder. He wiped his bangs out of his face as his stomach rumbled.

_ I need to hide, I need to hide my face. I need to eat some goddamn food before I start eating my ass and dick.  _

The ground beneath him shook as the world lit up. He flinched, fists raised, before he realized it was just a flash of lightning. [The ground continued to shake, The rumbling didn’t stop, followed by a horn blaring, and Aries just barely managed to jump out of the way before a truck sped passed him.]

His heart pounded so hard and so fast Aries was sure it would burst out of his chest. His hand clenched at his threadbare sweater as he forced himself to take slow, deep breaths. He crouched on the side of the road when he noticed a singular light fast approaching.  _ Motorcycle. Swaying, no control. Drunk? _

There was a hitch in his breathing. This was a golden opportunity. A susceptible body, weak-willed from alcohol, on a lonely road. He kept his eyes trained on the light and counted to five before he walked back into the road.

Entering a body is never a pleasant experience, no matter how many times he’s done it. The vertigo and nausea, the blinding light that burns his eyes, that’s all his own mind fighting itself. It’s mentally draining but he can prepare himself for it.

But the other person? It’s always a shot in the dark how they’ll react, but it always violently fought back.

This body wasn’t drunk like he thought. It was sharp, like spires sticking out at random. Instead of space there was static, something tinged with panic. It made him want to scream, and he wasn’t sure if that was his reaction or the body’s.

Aries was in the air, staring at the incoming light. Then the light was under him but he was still airborne. His body was a ragdoll as it rolled and slid to the opposite side of the road. Head first, a scraping noise by his left ear, but he was trained for this. He twisted and skidded on his shoulder blade. Still painful, but better than the head or neck taking the brunt of it. The world continued to spin and he didn’t know if it was because of his reckless possession or if he was still spinning.

Aries could hear himself breathing. So many things ached, but he was alive and if he was going to feel sick at least now he had a reason to be.

One of the body’s arms automatically moved to the side of his face and rubbed the side of the helmet. It was much flatter than it probably was a moment ago. To calm his hammering heart, Aries focused on what the body felt: it was wearing a heavy leather coat and thick overalls underneath, which probably helped keep them both alive. He rubbed his fingers on the palms of his hands, making little circles. Also leather gloves. Too big because there’s a second pair underneath. Whoever Aries had just hijacked had probably been grateful for the rain, with so many layers on.

Without thinking, he bit his lower lip.  _ Automatic reaction. The body’s, not mine.  _ He didn’t like how hard the heart was hammering, and how erratically at that. Calm as he felt, he could feel himself trembling. He bit down harder.  _ I’m in control here. I’m stronger than you are. I’m not afraid because I  _ am _ the danger. _

But somewhere else in the recesses of the person’s mind, he heard another voice say,  _ We hit someone oh god oh god we hit someone and killed them we killed them we killed someone. _

Despite this loop of panic, Aries felt himself beginning to relax. Even if its original owner was currently on the backburner, these sort of feelings were easy to handle. Normally, Aries could crush these anxieties through sheer force of will, but he still needed his body. Slowly he pushed himself up. Not only did he need to be careful for more serious injuries, but he didn’t know anything about the physicality of this body. If it was too different from his own — too tall or short, too thin or fat — it could make acclimating difficult. His center of balance was in constant flux, and the last thing he needed was a clumsy mistake to get him killed. That’d just be too embarrassing.

As he checked over his comatose body he felt the stress static begin to ease. He couldn’t help but smirk.  _ No longer accountable for a death, eh? Feel good now that your conscious is clean? It’s just a homeless schmuck, they don’t matter. _

_ Don’t say that. You  _ do _ matter _ .

Aries jumped and looked around. That wasn’t an outside voice. That came from inside him and it  _ definitely _ wasn’t his. He felt unsettled. This had never happened before, it shouldn’t  _ ever _ happen,  _ he’s _ supposed to be in control. He kicked himself for not exerting more power over this person’s mind; or maybe he shouldn’t’ve jumped in the middle of the road like a fucking idiot but it was the only way to make them slow down!

_ Why do you want to die? _

He shuddered. That time he didn’t know whose voice that was.

He lifted his body, surprised but glad at his current one’s strength, and made his way over to the motorcycle. While he did, he brushed over the body’s memories: lives in a stoplight town, 500 total; adopted. Aries frowned. They were the child of the local sheriff, that could be trouble.

When he approached the bike, he felt a spike of euphoria he couldn’t understand. Why was the body so relieved it wasn’t totalled? Why did he keep circling around a name, Eunice? Who was that, a lover?

_ This is dangerous. I need a nobody. I can’t be remembered. _

His stomach grumbled. Ok. Maybe he could take a little risk. Just until he gets some rest. It was harder than he expected to lift the damn thing, especially without dropping his sack of shit body. He went through the body’s memories, and it knew how to ride it, quite well too, but...well, body had instincts it’s acclimated throughout its life, but  _ he _ needed to know what to do.

“It’s just a bike with a car engine,” he said aloud. “How hard could it be?”

Jules had been driving, that much they were sure of. Their shoulder stung, and blood wafted to their nose. They didn’t know why but their hand went up to the side of their helmet. Their breath caught in their throat at how smooth it was.

_ Was I in another accident? _

Rain dripped down from the tree’s branches, silhouetted by Eunice’s light. Jules glanced over at their baby and let out a pained squeak at the sight of her with her engine still running  _ and _ her paint scratched from the destroyed log scattered around her. Jules scrambled up and let out a hiss at how their body groaned and protested beneath them.

_ No way this is just from the Stoker’s gutters. _

As they moved toward Eunice, their foot touched something. Jules looked and nearly had a panic attack at what appeared to be a homeless corpse. They crouched down and pressed two fingers against his neck, and didn’t breath until they were sure they felt a pulse. He was tall — taller than they were — and was either dangerously thin or in clothes seven sizes too big. Possibly both.

Jules pulled out their phone and turned on the flashlight. He didn’t react, so he was definitely down for the count. However, when they tried to brush his hair out of his face he flinched at their touch. They immediately recoiled, but he didn’t move again.

Jules held their breath, counting the seconds. They watched his scraggy face, with his long hair chopped at different lengths and bloody lip, then back at Eunice. Something happened while they were driving home, and whoever this was, he had possibly saved their life. And there was no way they were going to leave him hear in the cold.

Carefully, they put his arms around their neck and pulled his body close to them. With their hands on the back of his knees, they carried him to Eunice and pushed her up with their leg. One glance at her gas told them they’d have to stop at the 7-11, but no way they could do that with him. They sat down, one arm around his back while the other shuffled through Eunice’s carrier box and found a belt to securely tie himself to them. Without even thinking about it, they took off their helmet and strapped it onto him.

Slowly, carefully, they pulled back onto the road and made their way home to Sanctum.


End file.
